The Western Mustangs' women's ice hockey team started off the new decade with a thrilling 3-2 OT comeback win against the Laurier Golden Hawks on Saturday afternoon in Waterloo.
 
In a game that was similar to their previous matchup that also resulted in a 3-2 OT win, the Mustangs were on the chase for a majority of the game.
 
Right out of the gate, the Golden Hawks appeared to be the hungrier team. Their aggressive forecheck, paired with timely pinches in the offensive zone managed to hem Western in their own end of the ice for extended periods of time. However, their assertive style of play would result in three penalties in the first period, giving Western six minutes of game play with the player advantage. Unfortunately, despite having the league-best percentage on the power play, the Mustangs were unable to convert, and took a penalty of their own, which they were ultimately able to kill off. Golden Hawks goaltender Cohen Myers was the key factor in keeping Western off of the scoresheet during the first frame, and for a majority of the game.
 
In the second period, the Golden Hawks came firing out of the gate yet again. They drew two penalties against the Mustangs which resulted in a brief 5 versus 3 on the ice, before riding that momentum to score the opening goal of the game. Claire O'Donoghue sent a shot from the point past a screen to put one behind Mustangs netminder Carmen Lasis. The Golden Hawks would go on and add to the lead by scoring another with 40 seconds to go in the second, as a Mustangs turnover was forced by Laurier's Kaitlin Saxton, who sprang her teammates on a 3 on 2 odd-man rush, with Aynsley Harrison potting one home.
 
The Mustangs responded in the third period in an appropriate fashion by tying up the game. Five minutes in, on the power play, co-captain April Clark got the Mustangs on the board by batting in a rebound from a shot off of Sydnee Baker. Baker would then go on to get her own goal with the help of Mustangs forward Brooke DiCicco, who forced a giveaway in the Golden Hawks' own zone to send the puck Baker's way. She then picked up her own rebound to knot the game at two. This was a momentum booster for the Mustangs, who were desperately in need of offence to not only tie up the game, but win it as well.
 
In overtime, it was a nifty pass by DiCicco under a Golden Hawk's stick to co-captain Renae Nevills that would help her set up Mustangs forward Rachel Armstrong to blast the game-winning one-timer home, right off of the bench. Myers barely had time to realize that the puck was behind her before the Mustangs were pouring onto the ice to celebrate their first win of the decade.
 
The Mustangs will take the season series against the Laurier Golden Hawks, winning both matchups in OT by a score of 3-2. They will also help continue the Golden Hawks' losing streak at home, as they have yet to win in their own barn. Western will play their next game at back at home in London at Thompson Arena on Friday, January 10 at 7PM against Queen's University, facing them for the first time in the regular season. Tickets for that matchup can be bought at westernmustangs.ca/tickets .